Make Your Own Mini Komadaru: A 60-Minute Sake Experience in Asakusa

A new sake experience program called "KomoSake Terrace" opens in Asakusa on April 1. Organized by KOMO Inc., it takes place inside Konohana Brewing, Asakusa's first craft sake brewery.

The program runs about 60 minutes and costs ¥8,800 (tax included). Participants get a sake basics lecture, taste four different sakes, hand-paint a mini komadaru (a traditional sake barrel wrapped in straw matting), and fill it with their favorite of the four to take home. Learn, taste, create, keep — all in one session.

A Barrel You Design Yourself

Komadaru are the iconic straw-wrapped barrels you see at kagami-biraki (barrel-breaking) ceremonies. KomoSake Terrace uses 300ml miniature versions. You draw your own design on the straw wrapping, making each one unique. The inside is glass, so you can reuse it after finishing the sake.

During the tasting, a bilingual Sake Guide walks you through sake ingredients and brewing while you sample four varieties. You learn to identify four flavor profiles, then choose your favorite to fill your barrel. The program is offered in both Japanese and English.

Why a Working Brewery Matters

Konohana Brewing is a three-minute walk from Asakusa Station. Because the program takes place inside an actual brewery, you're surrounded by the scent of koji and the quiet activity of fermentation. If the timing is right, you might catch a glimpse of sake being made.

KOMO's founder Mai Morita is the first-ever Miss Sake and has promoted Japanese sake culture in 11 cities across seven countries, including Monaco, Brazil, and France. Her goal with this program: create a lively hub that brings sake to the world.

The minimum group size is two. With a convenient Asakusa location and a compact 60-minute format, it's designed to be easy to fit into a sightseeing day — for tourists and sake newcomers alike. Reservations at komosake.com.